Why Things Don’t Taste Like They Used To
It’s a common problem to feel like something from childhood simply doesn’t taste as good as it once did. While this might be due to a more sophisticated palate, a more likely cause is that as we age, our taste buds tend to age and die off too. However, the real culprit is smell, or rather reduced sense of smell. While decreased taste buds are problematic, smell plays such an integral part in how we perceive taste that this is a much bigger problem. This may seem like a rather mild issue associated with age compared to other changes but a lack of smell and taste can present some serious complications.
What Happens to Taste Buds?
For women, a reduction in taste buds can start to occur as early as age 40 to 50 while men will experience this later between 50 and 60. Around age 60 is when most people may begin to notice an actual difference in their ability to taste. The receptors for salty and sweet are typically the first to go followed later by sour and bitter.
This is why elderly people may find themselves eating things they never used to like simply because they are now the only things they can taste at all such as lemons, olives or other sour/bitter things. Once again though, these diminishing taste buds are only partially to blame because olfactory abilities come into play as well.
What are the Dangers of Reduced Smell?
Aside from the disappointing issues of reduced enjoyment of food there are some real issues that can come about when a person can’t smell properly. Some of these are:
- While many elderly persons may never actually notice a change in their senses, a study showed nearly half were unable to detect the smell in natural gas.
- Inability to taste can lead to a lack of appetite and eventually malnutrition and weight loss.
- Increased consumption of salt and sugar can also happen as a person adds more of these things to food to make up for their taste buds’ decline.
- Not being able to tell when food has gone bad or when water is contaminated can increase risk of illness as well.
There are a variety of things that can be done to combat these issues including replacing sugar and salt with spices and trying new foods to make eating more enjoyable. Many elderly persons also greatly benefit from having in-home help. Comfort Keepers of Santa Clarita, California provides specially trained home care workers who can prepare meals that will encourage patients to eat along with reminders to take pills, drink enough liquids and many other services as needed. Residents of the surrounding area can visit their site to find out more about improving seniors’ quality of life right in their own home.
Comfort Keepers
23900 Lyons Avenue
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
661-287-4200
